Process for the treatment of hydrocarbon gases



GAS TO STORAGE OR USE Aug 8, 1944 i s. s. cHAzANow 2,355,147

PROCESS FOR TREATMENT 0F HYDROCARBON GASES SYDNEY s. cHAzANow f l LIJ I Holvavdas l d l N I l s q, asddluls I+ u Q N I LA ssvo isnviva l l l l ff i h l f l hJ :l: I' l l uaauosav i m I U l Z I n: D I hl J A118. 8, 1944- s. s; cHAzANow 2,355,147

PROCESS FOR TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBON GASES 'Filed Jan. so. 1942 f 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR SYDNEY s. CHA Now MBI/Y l I A NEY" Patented Aug. 1944` A UNITED@ STATE s APli'rizu'r o Price ymocuss" y"lolt Tm: TREATMENT' or Sydneyy SQ'Chazanow, Bartlesville, Okla., assignor t rtg Phillips Petroleum ('Jompany, a corporation vof Delaware application January so, 1942, serial No. 428,975

3 Claims.

lizations, but the economics of a second stage are often less favorable, at least on the basis of the amount of csulfur produced since operating and investment costs are somewhat increased.

It is an object of the present invention to pro-- vide a. combination of the two types of removal processes whereby each is utilized in' a manner which obtains its optimum operatingfand economic results. By means of the novel process to be described, hydrogen sulilde removal from l either high or low sulfur gases is conducted to eflciency in the substantially complete removal of hydrogen sulde.

'Ihe problem of removing hydrogen sulfide from hydrocarbon gases has received extensive study, and many processes have been proposed for commercial applications. In general, these processes may be considered to represent variations of two basic principles, i. e., chemical or physical absorption and catalytic conversion, and each class has had specific and well-defined elds of application.

'I'he chemical removal processes have beenA directed principally to the treatment of relatively low sulfur gases to produce a hydrogen sulfidefree product. Low sulfur vgases are obviously preferable when complete removal is desired since chemical costs are lower for non-regenerative absorbents and operating costs are lower for processes utilizing regenerable absorbents. And, since the actual quantities of hydrogen sulde recoverable from low sulfur gases are small, the economics of by-product sulfur manufacture have appeared less promising on the basis of processingthe entire gas stream containing low concentrations of hydrogen suliide.

The second class of removal process involving the catalytic oxidation of hydrogen sulde to free sulfur is featured by the concurrent production of a substantially puried `gas and a sala-ble byproduct. One such process recently described employs a bauxite catalyst and air to oxidize the hydrogen sulde selectively to free sulfur. I'I'his type of process has been directed principally to the treatment of high sulfur gases because of the greater quantities of sulfur produced, and hence the lower net treating cost. However, due to' the equilibrium reached in the oxidation reaction, the conversion of hydrogen suliide may not be. entirely complete in a single catalytic treatment, being halted under some conditions after to 98 per cent removal. A second treating stage with special operating control and/or intermediate dehydration produces further removal to values which are suitable for most utiproduce a substantially hydrogen sulfide-free gas with a maximum recovery of by-product sulfur and minimum investment and operating costs.

While the process of this invention comprises the same two basic operations, namely absorpf tion and oxidation, the sequence of these steps is ordinarily determined by the hydrogen sulde content of the sas to be purified. Although no specific hydrogen sulde content may be termed the criterion for selecting the sequence of operations, the following method of selection may be'stated without limiting the process thereto. When the raw gas contains less than about 200 to 500 grains per cubic feet, absorption may be accomplished in the initial step. With higher sulfur gases it may be desirable to accomplish catalytic oxidation as thefirst step.

I have foundthat greatly improved results are obtained when a low sulfur gas is iirst contacted with an absorbing solution which absorbs hydrogen sulde in one zone and disengages it in a second higher temperature zone from which it may be removed in any desired concentration and submitted to catalytic oxidation for the production of free sulfur. By this sequence of operations puriiication is substantially completey and the net return on the by-product sulfur manufactured is much higher. This latter` advantage is principally due to more elcient conversion and much smaller plant size and investment than is possible when the entire volume of' low sulfur gas is catalytically treated.

In another closely related adaptation of the combination .processi have found that high sulfur gases are treated with improved eillciency when subjected to the alternate sequence of operations. 'I'hus a high sulfur gas is rst treated in a single stage 'to catalytically oxidize a major proportion, say 99 to 98 per cent, of the hydrogen sulfide. Then, after recovery of the sulfur, the remaining hydrogen sulde is absorbed -by contacting the gas with a regenerable absorbing solution.

and a substantially purified gas is obtained. The hydrogen suliide disengaged from the absorbing 'to the catalyst case 24.

solution is simply removed in suitabl concentrations and added to the raw gas stre m ahead of the oxidation step so that a maximum recovery of sulfur is obtained at no increase in costs.

Two specific arrangements of equipment which may b'e used for practicing this invention are illustrated in the accompanying diagrams. Figure 1 shows a method which is usually preferred in the treatment ofgases containing low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide. In the purification of gases containing large amounts of hydrogen sulfide, however, it is ordinarily ,prefer- -in the gas; which leaves the absorber by line 4, proceedingto storage and/or further processing.v

The alkaline solution, fouled with hydrogen sulfide, leaves the absorber 2 by line 5, traversing the heater 6. and passing by line 1 to stripping unit 8, wherein the hydrogen sulde is stripped out by heat and a stream of gas, and the alkav line liquor then leaves stripper 8, passing by line I0, to pump II. The pump II forces the reactivated alkaline solution by line I2 through cooler I3 and line 3 to the top of absorber 2, for the absorption of additional amounts of hydrogen sulde. At the bottom of strippingunit 8 a hot carrier gas is supplied by line 9 to assist in removing the hydrogen sulfide from the foul alkaline liquor. The gas passes upwardthrough the stripping unit 8, and, having picked up a large amount of hydrogen sulfide, passes out by line I4 to condenser I5 and trap I8, for removal of water and entrained alkaline-reacting substances. The condensate in trap I6 is returned to the stripping unit 8 by line 35. The gas passes by line I1 to dehydrating zone I8, whence the dehydrated gas passes by line I9 to the second part of the process.

By line I9, the gas enters furnace 28, is heated to reaction temperature and passes by line 2l Air is added to the stream by compressor 22 and line 23. In the catalyst case 24, the hydrogen sulfide is oxidized to free sulfur and water. The gas stream containing free sulfur and water passes by line 25 to separating zone 26, wherein the sulfur is separated and recovered. The gas freed ofsulfur then passes by line 21 to storage 28. Excess gas collecting in storage 28 may be removed intermittently or continuously by line 36.v The gas blower 30 takes the gas from storage 28 by line 29 and forces it by line 3l to heater 32, whence the hot gas passes by line 9y to the base of the stripper 8 for stripping out further amounts of hydrogen sulfide.

ure 1, air is continuously added by line 23 to supply oxygen. Thus the nitrogen content of the stripping gas is increasedin each cycle. This necessitates intermittent or continuous withdrawal of the gas-in the storage zone 28. As a result, the stripping gas tends to* approach a composition substantially comprising nitrogen and is therefore available as a source of nitrogen for which comparatively little purification should be necessary to yield a pure product.

Figure 2 shows the sequence of operations most satisfactory for treating a high sulfur gas. According to this diagram the raw gas passes into the furnace by line I, and then-by line 2I passes to line 39 near the entrance to the conversion'zone `24. The compressor 22 supplies air An alternate method of providing the stripping gas is also illustrated in Figure 1. In this procedure lines 21 and 29 and storage zone 28l are not used, and the stripping gas is obtained by diverting a' portion of the treated gas from line 4 by line 33 to the blower 3Il. The gas freed of sulfur in the separating zone 26 passes by line 34 t'o line I and is contacted by the alkaline absorbing solution along with the raw gas. Either of these methods may be used with the lower concentrations of hydrogen sulfide in the raw gas. v

In operating by the method illustrated in Figture enters the catalyst case 24, wherein the hydrogenjsuliide is oxidized to free sulfur and water vapor. The vaporous conversion products pass by line 25 `to separating zone 2B for removal of the sulfur.l The gas freed of elementary sulfur but containing a small amount of hydrogen sulfide then passes by line 31 to absorber 2 flowing countercurrent to a stream `of alkaline absorbent designed to remove the remaining traces -of hydrogen sulfide. The purified gas passesvout to storage by line 4. The'alkaline absorbing solution which enters the absorbing zone by line 3 leaves by line 5 after absorbing a large amount of hydrogen sulfide. 'The fouled solution enters heater 6 by line 5, and then passed by line 1 to the stripping zone 8, moving countercurrent toa hot stripping gas supplied by line 9. The hydrogen sulde is removed by the combined action of the heat and the stripping gas, and passes out with the stripping gas by line I4. The stripped alkaline liquor passes by line I8 to pump II which forces the liquor by line I2 through cooler I3 to the absorbing zone by line 3. The stripping gas is supplied by removing a portion of the finished gas from line 4 by line 38 to gas blower 30, whichforces the gas by line 3| through heater 32 and line 9 to the stripping zone 8. Alternately, a portion of the raw gas may be diverted from line I by line 4I to line 3|, heater 32, line 9 and stripping zone 8. The gas in line I4, containing a high concentration of hydrogen sulde, passes to condenser I5 and water trap I6, then by line I1 to dehydrating zone I8. The dried gas then passes by line I9 to line I and re-enters the furnace and conversion system in company with the untreated gas. Line 35 is used to return condensate from trap I6 to the system.

It will be noted that the arrangement of Figure 2 employs the same equipment as shown in Figure 1, but the flow of the gas is changed. By this means the load on the absorbing and stripping units is greatly reduced and a completely hydrogen sulfide-free product may be obtained with a single oxidation step.

The absorbing solutions used in the operation of this invention are generally aqueous solutions of weakly alkaline compounds which are capable of holding hydrogen suliide at-l'ow absorption temperatures and losing hydrogen suliide at elevated stripping temperatures. For example, solutions of aliphatic amines, tripotassium phosphate, sodium phenolate, sodium and potassium carbonate, combinations of amines cable to the operations outlined in both Figure 1 and Figure 2, and is necessary to the proper operation and the gas itself is necessary for another purpose. The gas supplied to the stripping zone is necessary to dilute the hydrogen sulde and to provide a gas mixture containing a predetermined and preferably substantially constant concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the gas to be processed in the oxidizing step of this process. This method of operation is, therefore, useful not only in the improved regeneration of the alkaline solution by the stripping gas, but also by its function Yof blending up the charge stock for the oxidizing step.

In general, the best operation is obtained by conducting the absorption step at the prevailing pressure of the process or associated processes supplying or utilizing the gases. Special conditions may require variations but the eiiiciency of absorption is not greatly aiected. Similarly the stripping step may be conducted at low super-atmospheric pressures which are most suitable in view of the subsequent treatment of the hydrogen sulde concentrates recovered. It is ordinarily preferred to operate the absorption step at atmospheric temperatures, usually depending upon the temperature of available cooling water. In general, these temperatures may be in the range of about 40 to 130 F. The lower temperatures provide better absorption which results in decreased circulation of the alkaline reagent. l

The catalytic oxidation step is conducted with a catalyst `and under temperature conditions which produce selective oxidation of the hydro-' gen sulfide to free sulfurand with the necessary oxygen furnished by admixture with air. The feed mixture to the oxidation catalyst may contain from 400 to 4000 grains of hydrogen sulfide per 100 cubic feet, but since the oxidation reaction is exothermic it is ordinarily preferred to treat concentrations ranging from 800 to about 2000 .grains per 100 cubic feet when special temperature control methods are not provided.

Although the oxidation step is adaptable to the use of a number of catalysts, it is preferred to employ a bauxite catalyst. This material is rugged and long-lived in service and is highly I trol measures, or by regulation of the concentration of hydrogen sulde in the gas feed to the catalyst. When the feed is obtained from the stripping zone of the absorption step, the hydrogen sulfide concentration is adjusted, as pre-, viously noted, by control of the volume of stripping gas admitted. This regulation is applioperation of the oxidation step since undiluted hydrogen sulfide or even gases containing larger concentrations than those noted above cannot be satisfactorily handled directly ovr the catalyst.

'I'he oxidation step may be conveniently operated at low superatmospheric pressures with the range of 15 to 150 pounds per'square inch gage being preferred. However, where closely-associated operations require otherpressure conditions, the oxidationstep is satisfactorily loperated at higher or lower pressures.

In order to illustrate the operation of this invention the following operations are described.

Example I A natural gas containing 300 grains of hydrogen sulfide per 100 cubic feet was passed through an absorbing tower countercurrent to a solution of mono-ethanolamine. The gas leaving the absorber was substantially free of hydrogen sulfide and after a supplementary drying operation, was suitable for pipeline transportation. The foul amine solution was pumped over the top of the stripping tower at a temperature of 215 F., flowing down countercurrent to a stripping gas which enters the column at its base at about 220 F. The stripping gas' is supplied at a rate equivalent vto 30 per cent of the raw gas feed so that, after dehydration, the charge gas for the oxidation step contains about 1000 grains per 100 cubic feet. This gas 'is heated to about 420 F., mixed with air and passed over a bauxite catalyst, with a, conversion in excess of Following recovery of the sulfur, thev gas was returned to strip more foul solution. This small oxidation unit yielded more than 400 pounds of sulfur per million cubic feet of the purified natural gas, whereas if the entire gas stream were treated through the catalytic step the increased operating and investment costs would overbalance the return on the amount of sulfur protion step is performed first. The gas is processed at the rate of one million cubic feetvper day. With the hydrogen sulde returned from the absorption step, the charge to the catalyst contains about 1450 grains per cubic feet. The

gas, mixed with air, enters the catalyst at 415 F.

and then passes to the separating zone where the sulfur is removed. The gas, freedof elementary sulfur and containing about 40 to'50 lgrains of hydrogen sulfide per 100 cubic feet is passed to the absorber where it is contacted with a monoand diethanolamine solution. After passing through the absorber, the gas is free'of hydrogen sulde and is piped to storage. The foul solution is reactivated in the stripping unit. which it enters at a temperature of 230 F., flowing countercurrent to the stripping gas, which'is supplied at the rate of 700 cubic feet per minute. The foul gas leaving the stripping zone is cooled to condense most of its water content and then dehydrated before returning it to the feed gas entering the furnace at the beginning of the oxidation process. This plant can produce a little more than one ton of sulfur per million cubic feet of gas together with a substantially hydrogen sulfide-free gas.

It will be obvious that many variations in de- .tails and arrangements may be made in the process under the provisions of this invention.

The illustrative examples, operating diagrams, and descriptive matter serve to point out properly the operation of this invention, and are not intended as limitations. The limitations upon this process are expressed only in the attached claims.

I claim:

1. A process for the purification of hydrocarbon gases containing hydrogen sulfide comprising absorbingy the hydrogen sulde from said gas in an alkaline-reacting aqueous solution, capable of fixing hydrogen sulfide at low temperatures and of disengaging the hydrogen sulfide at elevated temperatures, and recovering said purified gas at the exit of the absorbing zone; heating the alkaline solution containing hydrogen sulfide, passing an inert gas in contact therewithto assist in the removal of the hydrogen sulfide from the alkaline solution, cooling the reactivated alkaline solution and returning same to absorb additional amounts of hydrogen sulfide; drying the said inert gas containing hydrogen sulfide, passing the same to a hydrogen sulfide oxidation step, wherein after admixture with air and passage over an oxidation catalyst the hydrogen sulde is converted to free sulfur and water, separating and recovering the sulfur and returning the said inert gas to assist in stripping further amounts of said alkaline solution.

2. A process for the purification of hydrocarbon gases containing hydrogen sulfide comprising heating the gases, adding air thereto and passing the air-gas mixture over a bauxite catalyst to convert a substantial portion of the hydrogen sulfide to free sulfur and water vapor, sepa.- rating and recovering the sulfur, passing the gas containing some unconverted hydrogen sulfide into an absorbing zone in contact with an alkaline-reacting aqueous solution adapted to fix hydrogen sulfide at low temperatures and to disengage hydrogen sulfide at elevated temperatures, recovering the purified gas at the exit of the 4absorbing zone, heating the alkaline solution to disengage the hydrogen suliide in a. stream of heated inert strippingogas, returning the reactivated alkaline solution to absorb additional amounts of hydrogen sulfide; and passing the inert stripping gas containing the disengaged hydrogen sulfide to the hydrogen sulfide oxidation step for further conversion of the hydrogen s ulde to water and elementary sulfur.

3. A process for the purification of hydrocarbon gases containing up to about 500 grains of hydrogen sulfide per cubic feet comprising removing said hydrogen-sulfide from the hydrocarbon gas by absorption in an alkaline-reacting aqueous solution capable of fixing hydrogen sulfide at 10W temperatures and disengaging hydrogen sulfide at elevated temperatures, and recovering the purifled gas;`disengaging the hydrogen sulfide from the alkaline solution by heating and contacting with an inert stripping gas, returning the reactivated alkaline solution to absorb further amounts of hydrogen sulfide, passing the hydrogen sulfide-bearing stripping gas mixed with air over a bauxite catalyst in the temperature range vof about 400 F. to about 600 F. to convert the hydrogen sulfide into elementary sulfur, separating the elementary sulfur and returning the inert gas` for disengaging additional amounts of hydrogen sulfide.

SYDNEY S. CHAZANOW. 

